diff --git a/hw/net/eepro100.c b/hw/net/eepro100.c
index 3cd826acccf66ecbe769d1101c8d157546f73ec9..fb9c944db7883af900a3309023657bf0d6a95be6 100644
--- a/hw/net/eepro100.c
+++ b/hw/net/eepro100.c
@@ -1906,6 +1906,14 @@ static int e100_nic_init(PCIDevice *pci_dev)
     return 0;
 }
 
+static void eepro100_instance_init(Object *obj)
+{
+    EEPRO100State *s = DO_UPCAST(EEPRO100State, dev, PCI_DEVICE(obj));
+    device_add_bootindex_property(obj, &s->conf.bootindex,
+                                  "bootindex", "/ethernet-phy@0",
+                                  DEVICE(s), NULL);
+}
+
 static E100PCIDeviceInfo e100_devices[] = {
     {
         .name = "i82550",
@@ -2104,7 +2112,8 @@ static void eepro100_register_types(void)
         type_info.parent = TYPE_PCI_DEVICE;
         type_info.class_init = eepro100_class_init;
         type_info.instance_size = sizeof(EEPRO100State);
-        
+        type_info.instance_init = eepro100_instance_init;
+
         type_register(&type_info);
     }
 }